Carey-Betram settles drab game to see Bulls in the playoffs

FT: Hereford United 10 Tamworth

17 April 2006

Lambs boss Mark Cooper gave his side a stiff telling off after their 3-0 defeat by Morecambe on Easter Saturday and was looking for an immediate response against playoff ‘certainties’ Hereford United.Cooper made two changes to the side that lost to The Shrimps – Michael Tuohy and Peter Folkes came in with Bob Taylor and Scott Stamps losing their places in the starting eleven.

After a slow start by both sides, Hereford won a corner when Alan Neilson miscontrolled but Dean Beckwith’s header did not have enough on it to trouble Sean Bowles.Danny Davidson latched onto a through ball from Tommy Johnson on 5, but didn’t strike the chance cleanly and the ball rolled easily back to Craig Mawson.The Bulls won a second corner on 9 which Nicky Nicolau mis-hit, but Dominic Roma had to fumble the ball out of play when the high ball in whipped around in the wind.Tamworth created their first shot on 12 when Johnson let fly from 25 yards and forced Craig Mawson to save one handed and concede for The Lambs first corner, by Kyle Storer’s flag kick was easily cleared.Alan Neilson received lengthy treatment after going down injured, although not under any challenge, and had to be replaced on 18 by Nathan Jackson.A mix up between Adie Smith and Bowles on 25 saw Smith concede a corner when Bowles should have collected the ball into the box and Rob Purdie planted the kick on Beckwith’s head in the centre of the box, but it deflected off Tuohy for another corner. Tamika Mkandiwire then squandered a golden chance as a high ball back into the Lambs area fell invitingly, by Mkandiwire headed straight at Bowles when it looked easier to score.Adie Smith pulled off a fantastic defensive tackle to deny the forward run of Daniel Carey-Bertram on 31 when it looked odds on that if the Hereford player had got through an opening goal was on the cards.The Lambs made another substitution on 37 with Tris Whitman coming on, for the first time since mid February after being recalled for the game, to replace Johnson.Whitman made space for a great shot at goal just before the break, but his strike went narrowly wide of the far upright and appeared to have Mawson beaten.HT 0-0A last ditch tackle by Mkandawire denied Davidson a shooting opportunity on 48 as The Lambs looked to take advantage of a lethargic Hereford show that was not pleasing the home supporters.A rare attack from the hosts saw Carey Betram force Bowles into a save on 50 when the Bulls player struck the ball straight at him from the edge of the area.The home side showed exactly why they are up in the play off spots on 58 with a goal from Carey-Bertram who ran onto a through ball from Andy Ferrell and unleashed a left foot strike which flew past Bowles. (0-1)Hereford visibly grew with confidence after taking the lead and Sean Bowles was called upon a number of times to deny the Bulls. A corner was punched clear, a deflected shot saved and a freekick caught at height under pressure, all before Bob Taylor came onto the field on 72.The home side continued to come forward and look for a second goal but squandered chances with mis-hit shots a number of times, none more so when Carey-Bertram picked up a poor clearance from Bowles but shot awfully with the goal at his mercy and Jamie Pitman screwing his grass cutting shot well wide on 79.Bowles had to sprint out of his area on 83 to clear the danger from substitute Andy Williams after Roma’s back header went short and Williams squared the ball across the Lambs area on 85, but there was no-one on hand to put the chance away for Hereford.A rare attack by The Lambs ended with a poor shot by Tuohy and Storer tried his luck from 30 yards on 89 and despite some more forward moving play and Taylor almost pulled a point out of the bag with a shot at the death but the chance went begging as the ball flew over the bar.Hereford went on to celebrate a place in the play offs while The Lambs must travel to Champions Accrington next Saturday in search of at least a point to stay away from the relegation zone.